| Rossburg, OH (July 24, 2014) – The 2nd annual 1-800-CarCash Mudsummer Classic at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH is one of NASCAR’s most unique and anticipated events of the season. The 10th event on the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule presents the competitors with numerous challenges, and Matt Crafton’s IDEAL Door/Menards team overcame numerous obstacles to score a ninth-place finish at “The Big E.” Crafton’s seventh top-10 finish of the season came a year after he scored an eighth-place finish in the inaugural event at Eldora Speedway, but the 2014 running required the No. 88 IDEAL Door/Menards team to “dig” for every position.
By way of his qualifying lap, Crafton started Heat Race 4 from the pole and finished second in the 10-lap qualifying event, lining the Tulare, CA driver up in the ninth position for the main event. The ThorSport Racing driver immediately battled a lack of forward bite in his Toyota Tundra in the early stages of the 150-lap event. With trucks utilizing every inch of the half-mile clay oval, Crafton’s handling made it difficult to advance through the maze of traffic. Describing his Tundra as “riding a dolphin in the water”, Crafton felt a lot of movement in his No. 88 machine. When the first competition caution was displayed at lap-62, Crafton was scored in the 16th position. The pre-designated competition caution could not have come at a more “IDEAL” time; the Carl Joiner-led crew found a broken shock on the Toyota Tundra during a scheduled pit stop. Along with replacing the shock, the team made numerous adjustments to help give Crafton the forward bite he was seeking.
The adjustments aided Crafton’s Tundra and helped him move through the field after being buried as far back as 17th. The 2014 NCWTS reigning champion drove his way into the top-10 by the time the second scheduled competition caution fell at lap-112. While the truck was more competitive now, after the first round of adjustments, it still was not to Crafton’s liking and the team elected to pit, as they felt they were not in position to win with what they had. The ThorSport Racing veteran driver restarted in the 17th position and utilized the bottom line to drive through the field in the closing laps. When the dust settled, Crafton would come across the line ninth, scoring his second consecutive top-10 finish at Eldora Speedway.
Notes:
Quote – Matt Crafton: “We missed it a little tonight. The second run we were at our best. We came in at the end of the second segment and I thought we were going to help it, but wound up hurting the truck with the adjustments we made. Traffic was real hairy all night and it was hard to go anywhere to gain track position. All in all, we’re glad to get out of here with a decent finish.” |
| ABOUT MENARDS:
With 287 stores in 14 Midwestern states, Menards has the tools, materials and supplies for all your home improvement needs whether just needing a light bulb or can of paint to building a deck or new home. Menards is known throughout the home improvement industry as the low price leader; it’s no wonder their famous slogan – “SAVE BIG MONEY” – is so widely known and easy to remember. Menards does things right – the company’s strength and success can be seen in the well-stocked and maintained stores, the lowest prices in town and the way guests are always treated like family in a hometown hardware store atmosphere.
ABOUT IDEAL DOOR: Since 1963, Ideal Door has been an industry leader in sectional garage doors and the preferred choice of home owners, architects and builders for their current and future door needs. For more information, visit www.idealdoors.com. |
| ABOUT THORSPORT RACING:
ThorSport Racing, based in a state-of-the-art 100,000-square-foot facility in Sandusky, Ohio, is the longest-tenured NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. ThorSport, which has run in the Truck Series since 1996, in 2014 will run the No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra driven by 2013 drivers’ champion Matt Crafton, the No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff/Carolina Nut Co./Curb Records Toyota Tundra driven by Johnny Sauter and the No. 13 Estes Toyota Tundra driven by Jeb Burton in the Truck Series. |
